Still Just a Kid
by Umuulan
Summary: Snake realized that behind all that annoying ego and seemingly never-ending confidence, Sonic was still just a confused and a worried teenager who sometimes, despite his impressive heroism and bravery, still needs a helping hand to reach out and hold onto, even just for a little while.
1. Still Just a Kid

_Crossposted on AO3 under the same username._

* * *

 **A/N** : When I started writing this and had the general idea down, I later saw scribblehooves's (from Tumblr) comic with the similar pattern, but with Peach instead. This is a mere _coincidence_ , though I wouldn't lie that I based some elements from the said-comic out of inspiration, not plagiarism.

* * *

Having to fit over seventy people under one roof, the Hands informed that this time, the Smash Brothers couldn't hold the privilege to own their very own bedroom unlike in the past tournament seasons. Some who should room with a close friend or family didn't mind about the change (like Mario and Luigi, and Ryu and Ken), others complained about their assigned undesired roommate and the lack of privacy in the already crowded home of rowdy Smashers (like the three kings, Bowser, Dedede, and Ganondorf).

Solid Snake plus several others wondered why the infinitely powerful Hands didn't simply enlarge the place as a solution to the supposedly-minor problem with a snap of their fingers like it's a regular Tuesday. Were they trying to promote a closer bond between the bitter ones? Because he's quite sure that _was_ the reason when he had to share a bedroom with the one he'd dreaded the most...

 _Sonic the Hedgehog_.

The said-hedgehog's irritating attitude didn't change one bit since he left. Wasn't Sonic better fitted to room with someone who's... maybe also younger and blue like Megaman? Or someone who obliviously plays along with his little game of teasing like Pit? Did the Hands really believe him and Sonic still hadn't gotten along well? Excuse them. Long ago, Snake mastered the way to tolerate Sonic's antics and smoothly turn the tables whenever the hedgehog tried to pester him. He didn't _hate_ the kid. Hell, sometimes he even genuinely enjoyed the kid's company back in their first tournament together, almost ironically. He's happy enough with their unlikely friendship, thank you very much.

But speaking of daily mandatory bonding, Sonic was just _way_ too noisy for Snake's taste. He'd rather end another exhausting brawl-filled day by crawling into his cozy, heavenly bed than tiredly forcing himself to entertain an energetic chatterbox right before he could earn the beauty sleep he deserved. Snake might be an expert on giving the silent treatment, but he had his limits on enduring the kid's need of attention too, mind you. Besides, if he slips one embarrassing move or accidentally reveals one precious possession nobody should ever lay their eyes on in front of the snickering hedgehog ( _He swore, if that chump saw his fluffy bunny socks-_ ), he's sure the news to spread like wildfire the next day.

At least Snake predicted Sonic to behave as _that_ kind of roommate. The choice could have been worse anyway, emphasis on literally stinking Wario or puppy-munching Ridley. Let's just hope he'd be able to survive by the end of this year's tournament season.

* * *

Snake learned that having a roommate could be strangely interesting.

Don't get him wrong, his assumption of Sonic the Hedgehog being the perfect example of a nosy, pesky roommate had been correct ("Snake. Snake? Snakeeeyy~ Snake, Snake, Snake, Snake, Snakesnakesnakesnake-" " _WHAT?_ " "... Hi."). The story didn't end there however.

The more mornings and nights (and sometimes afternoons) they spent together no matter how long each moment lasted and whether they like it or not, the more Snake noticed the tiny habits his companion absentmindedly does like whistling his favorite tune whenever he lies down with his hands behind his head, tapping his foot whenever he impatiently waits for a reply, or adding 'tsk, tsk, tsk' whenever he playfully makes fun of his own roommate or just anyone.

Not that Snake was being a creep or anything weird. It's just impossible for these trivial details that frequently happen to go unnoticed, that's all. Furthermore, he's sure the same goes for the kid, for he occasionally commented Snake's own habits like, " _Wake._ _Up!_ Master Hand-y needs your helping hand right now, so get your snoring ass outta there!" and, "For how long are you gonna stare that ceiling, mister? Wow, it's been an hour now; that's a record. Aren't ya hungry?"

Being roommates for quite some time, Snake got to also witness the Sonic who drops the tough act more often.

Staying away from their own world for several days meant triggering homesickness among the Smashers, and Sonic was no exception. As soon as Snake casually asks about his friends or past adventures, the kid's longing expression would melt away, replaced by a fond innocent smile, wearing it all the way as he enthusiastically engages into a storytelling about how Snake reminded him of a certain grumpy 'faker', how he once embarked on a journey with his past self, how he and his friends once 'babysat' a robot, and many more. Snake secretly adored this hidden side of his little friend. It reminded him of how much of a child Sonic still was, a fact that the kid wanted to push away like the teenager he was.

Snake never expected Sonic to completely lower his guard down one night.

Or rather one early morning when fate randomly pulled Snake out of his peaceful slumber like it's the funniest act it ever did. A little too early to feel fresh from sleep, he inwardly groaned at the nasty prank the universe oh so excitedly tried out on his sorry ass-

 _Sniff._

... Huh.

Sonic with a runny nose again. With his love for the outside world and the wind, he's bound to get victimized this pollen season...

 _Cough!_

Oh. Well, that further confir-

 _Hic._

Wait. _What?_

Snake snapped his eyes open and faced the other side of their shared bedroom. Even through the nearly pitch black room, only shone by the tiniest moonlight, he could still make out the lying figure of the hedgehog, fully covered in blanket. Snake remained stone still on his spot and stared intently, checking if those pitiful sounds were merely a part of his drowsy imagination.

 _Sniff._

Okay, maybe not. Snake propped his elbow on his own mattress to examine the clothed lump, which shifted slightly.

 _Hic._

"Sonic?" Snake whispered in the dead of the night. He received another hiccup as a reply.

Snake carefully pulled his own blanket away and sat on his own bed. "Hey..."

The muffled sniffling and hiccuping halted like that voice alone switched off Sonic's own, but then it carried on more quietly in a failed attempt to silence itself.

 _Sniff._

Snake sighed. He stood up and cautiously approached the other bed. The nearer he walked towards the hiding kid, the deeper the stab of pity pierced through his heart.

 _Sniff._

"Sonic? Hey... What's wrong?"

Sonic curled himself in a vain effort to disappear and unintentionally let out a whimper.

 _Hic._

Before Snake could think through his actions carefully, he gingerly settled himself on the edge of Sonic's bed for the first time since they shared a room. "Kid... It's okay. You don't have to keep everything to yourself."

With those words, the tiny crying noises gradually died down into a heavy and almost uncomfortable silence. For a moment, Snake thought Sonic fell back asleep before the sudden rustling of the blanket broke the silence. When the hedgehog hesitantly revealed his blue quills and somber face, it took Snake's everything to hold himself back from hugging the kid.

Sonic's pointed ears drooped low and his heavy-lidded eyes, red from rubbing it furiously, glistened by the tears previously shed for God knows how long. His lips pursed tightly, keeping it from trembling, but a quick coughing fit coursed its way out. Still avoiding eye contact, Sonic wiped his eyes with the blanket, sniffled loudly, and croaked, "Snake... D-do dreams become real?"

Snake was taken aback by the unexpected question. What kind of dream did Sonic mean? The lifelong mission your pure five year old self set up for your fed-up twenty-five year old self to fulfill, or the fuzzy peculiar visions you see in your sleep and forget in your wake? Determined not to keep the kid waiting, Snake settled with an answer that the word 'dream' could mean both. "Depends on how realistic it is, it can happen. Why do you ask?"

Sonic finally met Snake's gaze. Those green eyes' usual glint of snark and arrogance went missing tonight, replaced by an unfamiliar dullness, _lifelessness_ , and Snake didn't like it one bit.

Snake snapped out of his trance when Sonic burst out half-laughing and half-sobbing as he brought the back of his gloveless hand up to cover his eyes. "This is - _stupid_! I-I don't even remember everything-"

Ah. A literal dream then.

Snake frowned at how much the kid's pride drained away and how carelessly he exposed his vulnerable state. This wasn't Sonic, the most easy-going and carefree person Snake had probably ever met...

"Hm... So what do you remember then?"

It took another while before Sonic found his cracked voice again as he played the blanket with his fingers. "There's... a light, I think? And we're all there for some reason." Sonic gulped and shivered momentarily. "Then the light... It wiped us all out- Like it _killed_ us..."

...

Damn.

What kind of stress might the kid been hurdling to cause such a nightmare? Or did it pop out of his subconsciousness out of nowhere?

Before Snake could say something, Sonic chuckled hoarsely, cut off by another cough. "I-I don't know! Now that I think about it- I-If you put it that way, it _does_ sound really dumb... But," Sonic put a hand against his chest as if to check his rising heartbeat rate. "I felt _terrified_ back there..."

Snake hummed in understanding. He'd had countless similar experiences too, so many that if the vague nightmares weren't so impactful, he'd grown bored of it. Every time he encountered a horrible one, he'd involuntarily jolt up from his slumbering place, gasping for breath, for the terror felt too real to ignore and forget...

Poor kid.

"Snake... I-I'm scared..."

Huh? _Scared?_

"W-what if we all died for real like in the dream? I mean, okay. I know we've fought a lot of things and narrowly escaped from death so many times, b-but what if we didn't make it this time? Like in the Subspace Incident, what if we all become helpless again?

When I got the letter, I was too dense to consider becoming a Smasher. I didn't know the Multiverse was in danger while I haven't responded- I could have been a whole lot more helpful had I accepted the invitation sooner, but nooooooo, I came to the party late when everyone was about to die j-just because I thought I was better off without you guys!"

"Sonic..."

"It's only luck that I freaking won and we all lived, even though I was actually scared like _hell_ when I fought Tabuu! I-If I didn't come, ya'll would be seriously doomed, a-and it would be _all my fault_!" At this point, a fresh wave of tears overcame Sonic and his uncharacteristic stuttering worsened.

"Kid-"

"B-but what if the next time i-it happens, I-I'll turn a blind eye again? I-I don't want you guys to d-die! W-what if I'm - _too_ \- _late_ -"

 _Pat._

Sonic flinched upon the startling yet gentle contact.

Snake wordlessly stroked the hedgehog's soft head. Sonic on the other hand lay stiffly under the blanket. If it weren't for his blubbery rambling and the overwhelming emotions circling inside him, he'd undoubtedly glare at the man above him for what he was doing, and maybe swat his hand away. This time, he didn't complain and eventually relaxed against the touch. Still, the kid continued to weep as he shakily brushed away every tear drop that fell.

Snake focused on scratching the hedgehog's ear as he recovered from the shock of watching Sonic breaking down. Seeing the normally proud kid, who always trusted himself and believed in others, worry immensely and cry that hard, it kinda freaked Snake out. Of course he knew the kid had his weak moments too; he just never gave it much thought before...

Not like this...

When the tears ran out and the hedgehog's breathing pattern reset back to normal, Snake couldn't help but chuckle. "Sonic, it's just a dream. When I said it can happen, like maybe only ten percent of what we've seen _does_ come true. That one you have? It can't be that one."

Sonic owlishly blinked up on Snake, who fleetingly thought that that was the cutest move the kid had ever done.

He ruffled the hedgehog's head slightly faster and smirked. "We're Smash Brothers. We defeated Tabuu and saved the Multiverse together. Now that we're all seventy and counting, can anything worse still stop us?"

Sonic stared with a rare meek expression and did the first sign he found comfort from his roommate that night: he giggled.

"Hehe... Yeah..."

"And don't forget," Snake gently said. "What matters is the end: we made it all alive, because of you, Sonic. We've never been more grateful for your arrival. You're the reason why we survived and saved the universe."

Sonic's lips quivered, his eyes shone anew and he wiped it as he gave off a particularly loud sob. "B-but..."

Snake sighed. "No, it's not your fault if we-"

"But-!"

" _Sonic_. It's not your fault if we did fail. You weren't informed about the incident from the beginning, so we shouldn't blame you, whether you wanted to come or not. It's only your fault if you happen to side with Tabuu, but the Blue Blur I know won't let the world crumble, yeah?"

Sonic opened his mouth only to get interrupted by another coughing fit.

"Besides," Snake added, scratching Sonic's other ear. "You're not the only one who initially didn't want to be a Smasher. I was worse even. Remember?"

The comment stirred the kid from protesting to asking. "How come you came?"

Snake shrugged. "My friends pushed me to come."

Sonic hummed and lowered his gaze. Another pause followed till Sonic said in a small voice, "I still should have come sooner though..."

Snake stopped ruffling the hedgehog's head and stared down his roommate. He then distantly looked out the window displaying the indigo sky littered with tinkling stars. "To be completely honest, if you arrived too soon, you'd be too exhausted to destroy Tabuu's wings. If that's the case, we'd be perished to dusts two years ago. We can't be reunited like this anymore. You could say that you were somewhat our miracle back then."

At first, Sonic said nothing and remained motionless, barely reacting to Snake's stroking hand. His eyelids then slowly rose as if realization dawned on him. Contrasting his low spirits minutes ago, the kid stifled a giggle, but soon let any restrains go and genuinely laughed (which made Snake retract his hand from the hedgehog's shaking head). "I guess being late has its perks too!"

Snake smiled down at the merry hedgehog, relieved and glad that the kid finally lightened up from his unsettling anxiety. "Now that's more like it."

Sonic laughed a little more while until it faded into a relaxed smile that lingered on even when Snake placed a hand on the kid's head again and resumed petting the hedgehog. ( _That was not necessary, why couldn't he help it-_ )

Neither uttered another word and both stayed like that. The silence was strangely bearable, one that Snake found solace from, even around the most annoying Smasher in the household. It might perhaps be the most comfortable one ever since both Smashers shared a room.

No longer distressed, Sonic spoke up, "That was really weird."

Snake raised a brow. "What is?"

Sonic coughed. "Me, crying over a nightmare." He smiled sadly. "Guess I worry I lot more than I let on. Even if we're basically unstoppable, the thought of getting killed still kinda haunts me, you know..." The hedgehog vocally sighed. "I just love you guys."

"Aw." _What a confession._

" _Shush._ "

Snake huffed at the kid's default attitude coming to play, though he didn't find it eye-rolling this time. "You okay now?"

Instead of using the automatic reply, "Are you kidding? Of course I'm fine, 'cause I'm Sonic!", he nodded dismissively. "Yeah, yeah..."

Snake patted Sonic one last time before he finally withdrew his hand. "Sleep now. Don't worry. You'll see everyone safe and sound tomorrow, unless another room blows up."

"Pffft, yeah. I know, I know..."

Snake tapped on Sonic's nose ("Oi!" Sonic barked and groaned as he rubbed his pointed hedgehog nose.), said, "Night, kid.", and stood up-

"Hey, Snake."

"Hn?"

Sonic did what Snake thought the prideful Smasher would never do for the life of him: hug Snake.

Sonic said nothing as he held his Smash Brother, who was too stunned to react by the sudden display of affection. When Snake looked down on the hedgehog, hiding his face, he realized that no, Sonic wasn't just a brave hero of Mobius and the Multiverse, nor was he also just a fun-loving fellow who enjoys teasing and playing with his friends and family and value the people's safety above all else.

Sonic was also just a teenager who would not only take advantage of the title, 'young _adult_ ' to feel more superior than necessary, but become more confused and doubtful about plenty of things including their capabilities and the future, plus be annoyingly denial of the need to reach out a guiding hand from a more mature and a wiser grown-up.

 _He really is still just a child._

"Thanks," came the muffled voice of Sonic, who quickly sniffed. The kid looked up, pouting, and muttered, "And don't you dare tell anyone about this, got it?"

Snake grinned. "Says the hedgehog who loves giving free hugs. What happened to that?"

" _Snake!_ "

* * *

 **A/N** : 11 days left until Ultimate releases. :)

If reviewing, please don't mention any spoilers, even after the release.


	2. Extra

**A/N** : They were right besides each other on the actual thing and you can't tell me i won't do anything about it lmao

One more day to go until Ultimate releases! :D

* * *

Their current whereabouts took place on this particular cliff by the sea where they declared victory against Tabuu and the Subspace army. (There were only about thirty Smashers back then. Look at how far they had come now.) While this was where the adventure ended, the next one should all start here. That was if they weren't victorious against whatever was ahead of them, but were lucky enough to stay alive and face more challenges that might lie ahead...

... to rescue the real Master Hand, Crazy Hand, and possibly the Multiverse once more.

"We'll win this. I know we will!"

Sonic checked the Smasher beside him, who happened to be Solid Snake. The man in return spared a glance at the hedgehog below him. Both nodded at each other before turning their gazes back to the sky.

Taking down ten Master Hands should be a piece of cake. Seventy Smash Brothers and counting, chosen to compete at the Ultimate Tournament of the Multiverse for their extraordinary abilities and willpower, naturally stood a chance against any obstacles, no matter how life-threatening, that blocked their way.

Nobody could stop them...

Unexpectedly, each and every one of the floating hands' skin dissolved, revealing a strange blue glimmering light, which all threaded towards the peculiar elemental-like winged-being, partially enclosing a white glowing ball, hovering on the center of the army of hands. The more strings of light reached out to their destination, the shinier the said-being became, making it impossible to study its features anymore.

Something about this uneasiness, heavy tension, and the entire situation as a whole felt familiar...

 _Awfully_ familiar...

All the string of lights vanished, then where the winged... thing used to drift, a lone black hole appeared, its surrounding sky and clouds distorted to swirl around the hole as-

" _EVERYONE!_ " Shulk shouted from the other side. " _RUN!_ "

When the countless beams of blinding light suddenly burst out from the hole, a pang of realization pierced through Sonic like an earsplitting gunshot.

 _Those lights!_

 _It's from that dream!_

 _When everyone..._

 _Nonononono-_

 _This can't be happening!_

Not out of cowardice but because they seriously had no other choice, like Shulk commanded, _they had to run_.

Right before Sonic turned his heels, a passing thought occurred despite the deafening pounding of his heart from the overwhelming terror and determination to get away.

 _Snake... We were wrong..._

 _If only this isn't part of that ten percent..._


End file.
